What is batch brew?
Batch brew, or as we affectionally call it, 'batchie', is an automatic method of brewing filter coffee in larger batches. Batch brewers are small appliances that heat the brew water and then disperse it over the top of ground coffee, which is held in the filter inside the filter cone; the brew then flows into a carafe held at the bottom of the machine.
There are many brands of batch brewers on the market, with our brewer of choice being the Moccamaster, because it makes consistent quality brews and is a ripper looking machine.
Batch brews are popular because of their ability to yield higher volumes of coffee, usually 3-4 times the amount you would normally brew through a V60 pour over. The brew is also kept warm in a carafe on the built in hot plate, meaning it can be served for up to four hours after brew time.
What you need
- Moccamaster Select or Classic (or alternative batch brew machine) – they come with all the bits you need.
- Water.
- Ground coffee (medium to coarse grind, leaning towards coarse).
Recipe
- 60g to 70g of coffee : 1.2 litres of water.
Method
This is for a Moccamaster Classic, but the process is the same for most batch brewers.
- Fill water reservoir with 1.2 litres of cold water
- Fold the paper filter along the seam, place inside the brew basket and wet the filter with hot water
- Pour freshly ground coffee into the wet filter paper, give a tap to ensure the coffee bed is flat and place into brewing position, making sure the drip gate is set to open.
- Place the glass carafe onto the hot plate and turn on the Moccamaster
- Let the brewing magic begin
- Allow the water to fully filter through the coffee
- Sip and enjoy
Tips
- For better results give the coffee a gentle stir or swirl the brew basket every now and then to ensure all grounds are wet and extracting.
- Batch brew makes a great cold filter coffee. Using a batch brewer you can make some hot coffee, let it cool and put it in the fridge ready to serve on ice.
- Use filtered water if you can, it is cleaner and tastes better.
- Batch brew is great at home, and in a commercial setting. One way for specialty coffee stores to stand out is by making sure a quality batch brew is on offer. Batch brewers don't take up much room and it's a great way to showcase feature micro-lot coffees.
